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What is it Boy?! What’s the matter buddy?

It’s long been stated that dogs can sense things – from something as simple as his owner having a bad day, to natural disasters like tornadoes and earthquakes. Some would even claim their pets can sense paranormal activity! So how much credit can we give our hairy heroes? We decided to take a look at why and how dogs can sense these sensational events.

Do animals have special superpower sensing abilities?

Well it would seem that not only dogs but many animals have an innate ability to sense danger. Many wonder if this is a “sixth-sense” that gives animals the ability to do this.

Photo Courtesy of: mrMark

The truth is that it seems to be a combination of enhanced hearing and smelling ability that empowers animals to react as they do. As we all know, dogs have impeccable hearing. Just like a dog whistle, there are many sounds that certain storms and natural disasters can create that we as humans cannot hear.

The other factor that our furry friends rely upon is their sense of smell. Dogs have historically been used for tracking and can pick up a scent from miles away. But as of now, trying to understand their apparent premonition is all speculation. It is very hard for scientists to test animals to see what exactly makes them react the way that they do. There is no solid testing method for this process and of course no real way to recreate natural disaster scenarios.

Does your best friend know when something is wrong?

How about a human’s feelings? Can a dog really know when its owner is sad, angry, or hurt? Sadly, most scientists would scream out with a large resounding “No!” Scientists believe that animals can pick up on habits of their human owners and become aware of the way they are treated when their owners feel different emotions.

For example, nearly every pet owner knows that their animals are very conscious of their actions. If you go into the closet and reach your hand up to reach for the leash, your dog is often sitting there with his tail wagging before you even turn around. The same can be said for human emotions and feelings. If, every time you are sad, you call your dog over and want to pet him and kiss him, to try to make yourself feel happier; then your dog will slowly recognize your motions and expect that you want him to come to you so you can love on him when you have that same emotion.

So what have we learned?

In the end, it is nice to think that our pets can feel our pain. Hey, let’s be honest, most pet owners would like to finish that thought with “well scientists aren’t always right”. And that is a true statement! So for now, share all your feelings with your animals and make sure that you keep them close by. I have certainly learned that if Baxter is ducking under a desk or running for high ground, I’ll be right beside him!